Egging You On! Beating Life's Difficulties & Cracking on With GodSample

Gideon - The Poached Egg

Poached eggs are pretty low-key when cooking - simmering gently, hidden under the surface of the water, not drawing attention to themselves. At the beginning of Judges Chapter 6, we read of Gideon, our poached egg, hiding in a winepress from the Midianites - the enemy who were oppressing the Israelites. Gideon felt weak, and similarly to a poached egg, he wanted to float about under the surface unnoticed. This is not the state I continuously live in, but when times get tough I'm a hider, preferring to retreat, keeping life on the down low.

What God did with Gideon is hugely encouraging. He sees him hiding - in all his weakness and meekness, but the Angel of the Lord calls him a 'mighty warrior' and performs a divine egg'xtraction to get him out of his hiding place. Gideon sees himself and his family as weak. God declares over him his true identity - a 'mighty warrior'.

God sees our potential too - he refers to us as he sees us, regardless of how we see ourselves. He says we are eternally loved (Jer 31:3), more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), his adopted children (Eph 1:5), and friends of God (John 15:15). Yet despite this, how often do we, like Gideon, just want to hide?

God calls us up to the surface, to step out, to lead, to rise above our circumstances, to 'go in the strength we have', and to crack on with him right by our side.

With God's help, Gideon defeats the Midianites. The way the victory comes about is unusual - Gideon's army is whittled down from thousands of soldiers to just 300 fighters. As with Gideon, God can work to give you victory despite the most unlikely natural odds, but it will require you and me to come out of hiding and boldly step out onto the front line. You may feel like you are the least likely person God could use, perhaps because of your mess-ups, personality type, social status, or the challenges you are facing. If you are feeling poached let yourself be coached - by Almighty God. He wants to help you recognise your true identity as a mighty warrior in him. Don't stay hidden, begin to take even just some small steps forward, and get ready for what God might do through un-poached you!

Reflection

Are you running or hiding from difficulties?

Do you feel weak? Ask God to show you how he sees you.